Time for a fix at the landfill

March 28, 2006

It is reasonable for residents to expect that the trash hauled to a landfill will stay there. But that's not what homeowners near the Forest Lawn Landfill near Three Oaks have been experiencing. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Homeowners have been frustrated for months by swirling trash that is finding its way beyond the landfill's cyclone fencing and onto nearby residential properties and farmland. Disappointment with the landfill operator's response to complaints forced neighbors to take their anger to the Three Oaks Township Board to find a solution. Residents presented photographs to board members showing farm fields and trees coated with trash. If the landfill is not covering the trash, as neighbors argue, the trash is free to blow around. As more and more trash adheres to the cyclone fences surrounding the landfill, the fence is not able to work properly and the debris blows over the barrier in strong winds. Neighbors believe they've put up with the problem long enough, and we agree. The trash is only part of the problem. Mud and debris being tracked by trucks exiting the landfill is building up on nearby roads, creating drainage problems. That is especially hazardous during spring when unpredictable weather can cause flooding and freezing of those roads. Landfills must follow a host of federal, state and local rules and must meet permit conditions. If Forest Lawn is violating those regulations, every effort should be made to make sure there is compliance. If violations continue, additional measures, such as fines, should be considered. The residents should no longer have to suffer the consequences of the landfill's inaction.